The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-22
GLASS FACTORY BURNED.
ATLANTA's NEW INDUSTRY STOP
PED AT THE OUTSET.

Waiting Workmen Thrown Out of
Employment-The Convict System to
be Investigated = Startling Rumors
| Commissions Issued.
ATLANTA, GA, June 2l.-The Atlanta
Glass Factory was destroyed by fire this
morning. The main building and the en-
tire plant were consumed. The loss is about
$4,000 and the insurance about $50. 900,
The fire is thought to have originated in
| defective hue, though the manager, Jesse
Hawkin, has a vague idea that it was the
work of an incendiary. The glass
works had just been gotten in shape
and were to have been put in operation to-
day for the first time. One hundred skilled
| glass blowers stood ready to go to work
These men are thus thrown out of work at
the outset. Manager Hawkin says the plant
Win be rebuilt at once, and that the Atlanta
| glass factory will be in operation by Sept l
| next.
The investigating committee on the peni-
| tertiary held two sessions to-day, and ex-
amined Capt. Towers and MeSsTs Shubrick
| and Westmoreland, penitentiary officials,
| and w. b. Lowe, one of the two remaining
original lesSeeS. The points developed in
this examination, though not new are of
great importance as regards the treatment
of the convicts Women are worked and
! housed separately, but in some of the camps
a number of children were born and in one
| instance a superintendent was discharged
suspected of criminal connection with the
affair. That the majority of the women in
the penitentiary are. there for aggravated
crimes and are said to be most desperate
characters. Mr.. Lowe is decidedly against
the opinion that refoImatory prison is the
hxNCt
He says the latter nearly always are hard
cases, when sent up, often before the courts
which are indulgent to them, and that the
women criminals are beyond reclamation.
Only Messrs. Lowe and Brown are left of the
first lessees. Those now interested in the
lease are Messrs Brown, Lowe, English,
Smith and 7. l.. James. Mr.. Lowe has con-
tracted out the convicts at GresStown and
Cedartown at S240 each per annum, but the
control and maintenance is still with him.
The members of the Committee looked into
| these contracts, and seemed of the opinion
that the convicts were hired in violation of
law. But Mr.. Lowe stated that the con-
tracts were made after consulting his law
yer, ex-Gov. Smith, and submitting them to
Gov. Colquitt. The Committee then
went into the question of the value
of the lease interests and of the convicts to
the lessees. Capt Grant, who had three
fourths of No. 3 camp, sold his interest
several years ago for $4,000, making for
the whole company 900. No. 2 was the
same, and No. $50 900. Mr.. Lowe is said
to be netting $50, 900 yearly out of his, and
the whole lessee interest is S200,000. The
Governor gave the committee this afternoon
his views as to his duty in the event of the
forfeiture of any lessee. Mr.. Smith being
referred to, he said he would like to keep
and work for the State all the convicts
taken back under the forfeiture, but
hn hn hC- hnnv o1x sol 20
them if necessary. If the occasion occurs
he would submit the question to the At
torney General and be governed by his
opinion. The Governor alluded to the re-
ports about Mr.. Smiths camp, which had
been brought to him week ago by Capt
Towers, and said that an immediate inves-
tigation was ordered Capt! Towers and
Messrs Shubrick and Schofield go to Ogle-
thorpe on the early morning train to inves-
tigate. The committee adjourned to
Thursday, when Mr. Schofield is expected
to return with the facts.
COMMISSION ISSUED.
Military commissions were issued to-day
TO James W. Dupree, Junior Second Lieu
tenant Lewis Light Infantry, of Montezuma;
w. A. Taylor, Junior Second Lieutenant:
NJ d. Lanier. Second Lieutenant; r. L.
Singleton, First Lieutenant, of the Sylvania
Rifles; w. b. Spencer, First Lieutenant; G.
R. Winship, Second Lieutenant, Atlanta
Rifles.
RAILROAD COMMISSIONS BUSY
The railroad commission met to-day and
began work on the semi-annual report on
which they will be engaged for several
days. They made the following changes in
the classificanons: Calico, heretofore
fourth class, is reduced to class six; pear
line, raised from class r to class four, and
mustard seed reduced from third to sixth
class.
BEFORE THE GOVERNOR.
An application was made for the pardon
of Isabella Rooney, now in the penitentiary
on a life sentence for murder, from Clay
county. She is the only white woman in the
penitentiary, and her brother was hung for
the same murder and her mother died in
Jail.
The Governor has ordered a suspension of
the collection of the special tax of S25 on
nursery agents till the Legislature can act,
as the tax is claimed to be unconstitutional
under the United States Supreme Court
drummers' decision.
SHOT BY AN OFFICER.
M. j. Wiles shot and killed William Gallo
way, in Union county, to-day, while the
latter was resisting arrest.